Let’s talk about house helps like it’s fondly called here.
It’s no news that when a family is unable to take care of their children they send some of them to their relatives, friends, acquaintances and so many other people who need domestic help in their homes. These children are to help with the domestic chores while they are being fed and sent to school and some unlucky ones aren’t even sent to school which in other words is child labour.
This has been going on for a very long time now where you see children from age 7 or 8 become house helps at a very young age. I find this worrisome.
People hide under the disguise of training these kids in school while the sole purpose of these children leaving their parent's house is to become help to relatives or friends of their parents.
I can remember how young and naive I was at age 7, I could barely do things myself because my parents were there to help out so when I see these little ones become house helps in a bid to relieve their families of some financial burdens, I am always sad.
Today I witnessed a very heartbreaking event.
I was having my lunch at a restaurant today when a lady and her two kids and help worked in, it wasn’t difficult to know the little girl that accompanied them to the restaurant was their help and the lady also mentioned it to the waitress that served them.
From what I could deduce it was the boy’s birthday as I heard them singing for him.
They each ordered a plate of rice, turkey, salad, and a bottle drink while the help was given just a bottle of drink.
To make matters worse this little girl had to feed the boy his food. Imagine getting to constantly stare at a plate of food over and over again without having to taste it and yet they all came in together like one big family.
My heart sank, I only watched from afar yet I was affected greatly by everything that was happening how much more the little girl who had to go through everything. For crying out loud she is just a little child! Getting her a plate of food wouldn’t have cost anything neither would the little boy and her sharing a plate of food.
I just wanted to buy a plate of food for this girl and walk straight to the table and look at the woman straight in the eyes but I knew it wasn’t proper and of course wasn’t my place to do that, so I tried to distract myself from everything.
I have always told myself that I’d never bring so many children into this world and give them out to aunties, uncles, or friends to stay with, and witnessing this today, I made a mental note to myself to stick to the plan.
I still don’t understand why people like child labour. Is it because they don’t get to pay these kids salaries? Or are not worried they’d steal their spouses from them? Whatever the reason maybe it’s so wrong!
A particular celebrity in my country is making rounds on the internet for adopting her house help, we can’t for sure vet if it’s real or for the gram but anyway, she’s doing a good job.
It breaks my heart to see little kids become adults from a very young age. People need to stop bringing children into this world to suffer. Why do these kids need to pay for their parent’s financial incapablities? Why do they need to live a hard life just because their parents couldn’t provide the barest minimum for them?
Maybe I read the room wrongly earlier today but I know what I saw and it wasn’t a pleasant sight to witness.
I pray God helps every little child who has been subjected to child labour against their will.
What’s your take on child labour?
All images are mine except otherwise stated.
Thanks for passing by
Loads of Love🥰🥰
XOXO